That time of the year again. Bum Farto time. His name almost like Smuckers. The story has to be good.

Bum Farto was Key West Fire Chief in the mid 1970’s. Drugs big time in those days. Farto was convicted in February 1976 of drug charges. Awaiting sentencing. Jail time a certainty.

On this day in 1976, Farto’s wife reported him missing. Never to be seen again.

“Bum Farto Where Are You?” An instantaneous Key West saying. To this days. In conversation and on T-shirts.

One of two things happened to Farto. He might have decided he was not going to do jail time and disappeared. The other that he was ready to blow in other drug dealers and was made to disappear Jimmy Hoffa style.

Company finally able to get a flight out yesterday afternoon. Northeaster provided two extra days for Key West fun.

Rushed home to catch second half of Syracuse/Clemson. Syracuse won 55-52. Big win! Needed! If we win at least 2 games in the ACC Tournament next week, we might make the NCAA Tournament.

Visited Catherine later in the afternoon. We sat outside by her pool and chatted. About this, that and everything. An excellent conversationalist.

Following which we drove over to the Chart Room for a drink.

Shaun bartending.

Ted from Wampsville, NY seated at the bar. Wampsville the Madison County seat. A 40 minute drive from Utica.

Wampsville is the home of the Madison County Courthouse. An old stately structure. Spoke of yesterday. I tried many cases in Supreme Court there. I always felt Abe Lincoln was going to walk over and sit next to me at counsel table.

Ted was the Court Clerk for the County and Surrogate Court Judges. Meant he was intellectually smart. Wrote the judges’ decisions.

I never met Ted in our Madison County years. First time I met Ted was at the Chart Room bar 2 years ago. He is now retired and visits Key West once or twice a year.

We get together on those occasions.

Ted was with two Wampsville friends. One an engineer. Originally from South Africa. The other an accountant.

The accountant frequently ate at Pelletieri Joe’s Restaurant in Utica. An old type Italian restaurant going back to the early 1920’s. We shared many memories. I was the restaurant attorney for 30 years. Saturday night was generally Joe’s night.

Time for dinner. Catherine and I were both hungry. I suggested Firefly. She agreed.

I have always wanted to try Firefly. Never had. It is located on Petronia Street deep in Bahama Village. Famous for fried chicken. The reason I wanted to go. A desire for fired chicken.

Chicken good! Setting also. We were on a second floor porch overlooking Petronia Street.

A double header tonight. Kate Miano’s Gardens followed by the Academy Awards. Love the Academy Awards! Since they first started televising them way back in the late 1940’s or early 1950’s.

I remind you again that Kate Miano is a candidate for Mayor of Key West. I am not involved in Key West politics. However, I am supporting Kate. Simply because she is a smart, good hearted, helpful person. Honest, besides.

Kate’s campaign kickoff party is friday night at 6 at the Gardens. Free everything. Food and drink. Come visit with friends you may not have seen in a while. Bring a friend or two. Everyone should support Kate’s run.

This day in history important for two reaons.

On this date in 1952, Hemingway published The Old Man and the Sea. He thought the short novel his best work. Wrote it while living in Cuba. Turned out to be one of his best selling works and one for which he received the 1953 Pulitzer Prize.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was inaugurated President for the first time this day in 1933. America deep in the worst depression ever. His famous inaugural words…..The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.

The Georgia Legislature’s handling of Delta WRONG! Hard to believe. The Governor complicit.

Delta one of the companies that opted not to do further business with the NRA following the Douglas High School shootings. Involved was a discount relationship Delta had with the NRA. NRA members would receive a discount when flying Delta.

Only 13 NRA members ever took advantage of the discount.

The Georgia Legislature felt the discontinuance of the discount amounted to a punishment for people who cherished the Second Amendment. The Legislature eliminated a $50 million discount provided Delta on jet fuel.

Delta stands firm in what it did. CEO Ed Bastian said “…..our values are not for sale.”

Delta is one of Georgia’s biggest employers.

My position simple. It is not the purpose of government to punish in these situations. An example of government out of control! Crazies in power!

If I were Delta, I would slowly begin closing down small parts of my operation and move them to other States. I would also let the word out that Delta is ready to move its entire Atlanta operation to another State.

Thinking on the issue would change as soon as some Delta employees lost their jobs and others feared losing their jobs. It’s called hardball!

The Army’s own Field Manual, instructs soldiers that semi-automatic fire is the “most important firing technique during fast-moving, modern combat,” adding, “It is surprising how devastating accurate rapid semi-automatic fire can be.”
As we all have seen, over and over again.
Fully automatic fire from the AR15[facilitated by your basic “bumpstock” attachment}only works best when firing down into a closely packed concert crowd with all their heads sticking up, as in Las Vegas.